# Why don't we have sugar-free milk? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 20, 2008, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-sugar-free-milk/468716 "2008-10-20T07:19:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-sugar-free-milk/468716/21 "2008-10-21T02:29:05Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > Wow, really? I cannot tell the difference. Which is a good thing, as lactose and I don’t get along. > > One great thing about lactose-free milk is that it can last something like 6-8 weeks in the fridge without turning. Wow, really? Because I’ve always just gone “whoa, that’s old,” and assumed that my sense of smell might be off and tossed it once it had been around longer than I believed milk should be available. But I am smelling right? And it is ok? (for a while at least). ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-sugar-free-milk/468716/22 "2008-10-21T02:55:32Z")
Many, many thanks to all who have posted here so far; I am far more educated about milk, lactose and the composition of various milk products than I was last night. My GF is lactose intolerant. I have tried her lactose-free milk and wondered why it tasted so much sweeter than regular milk. Now I know. I suspected that the fact that the sugars are part and parcel of milk had something to do with the lack of a sugar-free milk; now I know. It sure would be nice if we could come up with something that tasted like milk but didn’t have the carbs or fat. For now I guess I’ll just keep drinking fat-free moo juice and hitting the track/trail as often as I can. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-sugar-free-milk/468716/23 "2008-10-21T13:10:53Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > Wow, really? > Because I’ve always just gone “whoa, that’s old,” and assumed that my sense of smell might be off and tossed it once it had been around longer than I believed milk should be available. > But I am smelling right? And it is ok? (for a while at least). :shrug: There’s a house brand of lactose-free milk that’s available near us. It’s only about 20% more expensive than regular milk, and lasts 4 to 8 times longer in the fridge. I have thrown out so many half-used half-gallon jugs of regular milk that the switch to the lactose-free variety makes a lot of economic sense for us. We pretty much only use it for cereal and making chocolate milk for the kids, so we don’t burn through it. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-sugar-free-milk/468716/24 "2008-10-21T14:53:05Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Lactose is actually two sugar molecules (glucose and galactose) linked together. People who are lactose intolerant do not produce the enzyme to clip the bond between them. Lactose-free milk has had the bond clipped by adding the enzyme to the milk. The lactose is gone, but the glucose and galactose sugars remain. Ergh, “sugar” does not mean “monosacharide”. A disacharide, or even a polysacharide (like for example the complex sugars in wheat or rice) is a sugar. Thank you. The first lactose-free milks offered in Spain had been subjected only to the chemical process. They were, as has been noted, sweeter than normal milk. The varieties now being offered are labeled “lactose-free dairy product” (not “milk”) and aren’t sweeter than normal milk. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-sugar-free-milk/468716/25 "2008-10-21T19:05:20Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Ergh, “sugar” does not mean “monosacharide”. A disacharide, or even a polysacharide (like for example the complex sugars in wheat or rice) is a sugar. Thank you. Maybe I’m misunderstanding you, but carbohydrates like glucose, galactose and fructose are [sugars](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar). Often called “simple sugars” to distinguish them from the “table sugar” sucrose. ---
**Author:** ![kezami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb8c5e/32.png) [@kezami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kezami)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-sugar-free-milk/468716/26 "2008-10-21T19:49:26Z")
For those of us who suspect that they are lactose intolerant and have a sensitive stomach, couldn’t a product like a watery liquid yogurt with splenda (don’t know if it exists) be used as a milk substitute. Would it be missing any important milk nutrients? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-sugar-free-milk/468716/27 "2008-10-21T20:02:39Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > The varieties now being offered are labeled “lactose-free dairy product” (not “milk”) and aren’t sweeter than normal milk. Are you referring to Valio lactose-free milk? It’s actually a hybrid mechanical/chemical process. [http://www.valio.fi/portal/page/portal/valiocom/Company\_information/Products\_International\_Sales/zero\_lactose26092007162852/Valio\_Lactose\_Free.pdf](http://www.valio.fi/portal/page/portal/valiocom/Company_information/Products_International_Sales/zero_lactose26092007162852/Valio_Lactose_Free.pdf) > [@](#): > > The Valio Membrane Process > Valio’s patented and award winning membrane filtration technology enables the production of a milk drink with the genuine taste of fresh milk but less than 0.01% lactose. At the heart of this process is a membrane ultrafiltration step, which removes part of the lactose from the milk. In subsequent steps, lactase enzyme is added to remove the remaining lactose. Because of the lower lactose content > at this stage, using lactase to degrade the lactose does not cause any of the excess sweetness found in low lactose milk made using enzymatic treatment > alone. In the end product the lower amount of carbohydrates also means less calories, and the original mineral composition retains the nutritional value and taste of the original milk. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-sugar-free-milk/468716/28 "2008-10-21T20:14:57Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > And it is ok? (for a while at least). I don’t think I answered your question very well above – the store brand of lacctose-free milk that I buy consistently has a sell-by date that is about 6-8 weeks in the future. With regular milk, I am really lucky to get 10-12 days. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-sugar-free-milk/468716.md?page=1)